Apparatus for spraying the interior of hollow articles



March 18, 1958 E. o. NORRIS 2 APPARATUS FOR SPRAYING THE INTERIOR 0F HOLLOW ARTICLES Filed May 16, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 rl/ III/I1 lNVENTOR 5.0mm e0 0 A/O/F/P/S ORNEY March 18, 1958 Q NORRIS 2,827,009

APPARATUS-FOR SPRAYING THE INTERIOR OF HOLLOW ARTICLES Filed May 16, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet? 7' 2T3? 47 2"" j 7- i "4 20 ii 64 II n 45 -I 46 I l I. 65 7| 27 ORNEY March 18, 1958 E. o. NORRIS 2,827,009

APPARATUS FOR SPRAYING THE INTERIOR OF HOLLOW ARTICLES Filed May 16, 1956 4 sheets sheet 3 INVENTOR Few/A 0 0. A/a/GW/S TTORNEY March 18, 1958 E. o. NORRIS APPARATUS FOR SPRAYING THE INTERIOR OF HOLLOW ARTICLES Filed May 16, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 gig INVENTOR 5041/14/90 0. /V0//P/.5

ORNEY United States t ain-e 9 1 2,827,009 APPARATUS FOR SPRAYING THE INTERIOR OF HOLLOW ARTICLES Edward 0. Norris, Westport, Conn. Application May 16, 1956, Serial No. 585,224 11 Claims. (Cl. 118-3) This invention relates to an apparatus for spraying the interior of hollow shells, such as cans, tubes, drums, or the like, and particularly to an apparatus for automatically spray-coating the interiors of such shells.

An object is to provide novel and improved apparatus for automatically applying an even coating to the interior peripheral surfaces of open-ended hollow cylindrical shells.

Another object is to provide an apparatus of the above type wherein the spray is confined within the hollow shell so that special means for ventilating the spray area is not required.

Another object is to provide a device of the above type which is adaptable to spraying articles of various types and of different lengths.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent as the nature of the invention is more fully disclosed.

in accordance with the present invention the coating is applied to the interior shell by means of a centrifugal distributor adapted to discharge an atomized spray around its entire periphery. This distributor is disposed axially of the shell to be sprayed and means is provided for moving the shell axially with respect to the distributor so as to apply a uniform spray coating throughout the entire length of the shell. After the entire length of the shell has been traversed the direction of movement is reversed and a second coating is applied, leaving the shell in the same relative position with respect to the distributor as at the beginning of the operation.

In the above device automatic means is provided for controlling the feed of spray material to the distributor, for sealing the ends of the shell, for interrupting the feed of spray material during the time of reversal of feed, and for applying additional spray material to areas having greater surface per unit length.

The invention also provides means in combination with the rotary distributor to draw spray laden air through the distributor itself so as to recover any suspended particles and also to prevent the particles from contaminating the air in the spray area.

The nature of the invention will be better understood by referring to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which a specific embodiment thereof has been set forth for purposes of illustration.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through an apparatus embodying the present invention showing the position of the shell before the spraying has been initiated;

Fig. 2 is a similar section of the lower part of the apparatus showing the top of the shell in contact with the top closure member;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view showing the construction of the top closure member;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detail view of a closure member illustrating a further embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a similar detail view showing the container top in engagement with the closure member;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section taken on the line 77 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a vertical section through the lower portion of the device of Fig. 1 illustrating a further embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail view of the cam-actuated spray-control belt; and

Fig. 10 is a detail view of the spray control valve for interrupting the feed of spray material during reversal of movement of the shell; and

Fig. 11 is a section taken on the line 1111 of Fig. 10.

Referring to the drawings more in detail the spraying apparatus is shown in Fig. l as comprising a base 12 to which a pair of rods 13 are secured. An open-ended can 14 to be sprayed is mounted on a bracket 15 which is adapted to slide vertically on the rods 13. The bracket 15 carries a positioning lug 16 against which the can or shell 14 is positioned and is formed with a sump 17 having a drain opening 18 closed by a plug 19 in which the excess spray material drains and is collected.

A cylinder 20 is mounted on the rods 13 and is provided with a piston 21 having a rod 22 which passes through cylinder head 23 on the cylinder 20 and is attached to the bracket 15. The lower cylinder head 23 of the cylinder 20 and upper head 24 are provided with fluid inlet ports 25 and 26 respectively which are connected by pipes 27 and 28 respectively to supply control fluid such as oil or compressed air to the cylinder 2%. The fluid in the pipes 27 and 28 is controlled by suitable valves not shown for causing the piston 21 to be raised and then lowered at a uniform rate, thereby raising and then lowering the bracket 15 and the can or shell 14 which is to be sprayed.

A support 39 attached to the base 12 carries a fixed bracket 31 on which the distributor mechanism to be described is mounted. This mechanism comprises a hollow tube 32 attached to the bracket 31 and having at its lower end bearings 33 in which a shaft 34 of a compressed air motor 35 is journaled. The shaft 34 carries a dished plate 36 to which is attached a conical distributor 37. The upper end 38 of the distributor 37 extends around the lower end of the tube 32 to prevent spray material from entering the bearings 33. The lower end of the distributor 37 projects below the plate 36 to form a flared rim 3?.

The distributor 37 is provided above the plate 36 with a plurality of elongated peripheral slots it) through which spray material is ejected by centrifugal force.

Compressed air for operating the motor 35 is supplied by a pipe 41 which extends downwardly through the tube 32 and receives compressed air from a suitable source, not shown. The exhaust air from the motor 35 passes out through ports 42 and then upwardly in the tube 32 and out through a packing material 43 which forms a mufiler for the tube 32 and also serves to deaden the sound of the high speed compressed air motor 35 which normally operates at a speed of 8,GGO to 11,000 R. P. M. and if unconfined may produce an undesirable noise.

The material for spraying which may comprise paint or varnish or other coating material or granular material such as sand suspended in an air stream is fed through a pipe 45 from a pressurized source not shown to a normally open valve 46, thence through pipe 47 to a normally closed valve 48, thence through pipe 43 downwardly along the side of the tube 32, to a discharge point 5%? disposed adjacent the interior surface of the distributor 37 above the slots ill. The material discharged from the nozzle 50 feeds downwardly around the inner peripheral surface of the distributor 37 by centrifugal force through the slots 40 in the form of a horizontal spray which extends uniformly around the entire periphery of the distributor. The spray is given an axial spread by air currents produced by the flared rim 38. The rim 39 also serves to collect and discharge fine spray particles and thus clears the air Within the can 14 of mist.

Patented Mar. 18, 1958 The construction of the valve 48- is shown. inFig. 9 wherein the valve is shown as comprising a casing 52 having a valve seat 53 against" which a ball 54 isnormally seatedib y means of as'pring 55 A plungensfi whi'clP is slidably held in housing 57 attached to th'e valve casing 52fis adaptedto push against the ball 54 and 'when shifted to the right as seen in-Fig. 9-to lift the ball 54 from theseat 53 and thereby permit passageof the-spray ma terial from an inlet' port '58 t'o ad'iselit'a'r'ge port 59" to which thepipes '47 and 49' respectively are secured.

The plunger: 56 is' actuated-by-a rod 6i) c-arr-ying at itsend a cam roller 61 engaging a carnsurface which is formed 'ona rod 63. The rod 63 is'atta'ched to a head- 64 (Fig. l) which is slidabl'e on'the outer surface of th'e tube 32. Thehead" 641s provided with a leyw'ay riding over the pipe 49; A shoulder 65*on'th'e pipe '32 limits the downward movement of the head 64i The rod 63isslidable in a bushing in-the bracket 31 in' response to vertical movement" of the? head 64- to' be described. The cam rod 63 'is formed with an upper depressed area 67 which is positionedTto-allow the valve 48' to close; with araisedportion-68 which is adapted to engage a carn follower 61 to open the -valve'48a-predetermined amount; and'with a further raised'portion 69 of limited extent which is adapted to engage the cam fol lower 61 to-open the*valve'48* a'further amount.

The valve46'is shown'in Figs: l0and 11 as compris= inga casing 76 having an'inlet port 7 1 and an outlet port 72 with-an'internalpassage which is normally" open but which may be'closed'by a slide valve73; The valve 73 is normally held in a lower or open position by a spring 74, but may be moved into an upper or closed position by a spring 75which is'actu'ated by a plunger 76.

The plunger 76 'is attached to a 'pin 77 which extends downwardly from' the'valve' casing 70 and is provided with a tip'78 which is threaded onto the pin 77'for"adjust ment relative thereto. The tip78 is adapted to be on 4 continues in its upward movement pastthe spray zone (Fig. 8) around the distributor 37 the interior of the can is evenly coated with the spray.

It will be noted that the": raised portion 69 of the cam 63 is positionedto; engage the carin f ollowe'r 6f when the spray zone produced-by the distributor 3 7 registers with embossed'bead si on the can- I4-the1 eby momentarily producingan' additional quantity of the spray to compensate for the increased surface area to be coated as the bead 85 passes the spray zone.

When the braeket lfreache's it's upper positio'n'the flange- 79 engages the tip 78 6f the in 77 and closes the i valve 46; therebylshutting otf'the feed of spray material to the distributor: At" the sahie time thecontrol' valv'e',

spraying operation to continue during the downward" movement of the can1'4'so that a second coatin is imparted thereto. When the head 64 reaches its lower osh Y tion-the cam r0d 63' allows the valve 48'to-close thereby shutting ofi the flow of material to the spray distributor 37. Thereafter the downward movernent of the bracket 15lowers top rim'81 of th e 'can 1'4 from the lining ma:

7 terial 82 of the cover 80 and restores the canto thepo'sh tion' shown in'Fig. lwhence it maybe removed and a second'can or'the like inserted on the bracket.

An= alternate method of sealing the'cove'r'80'aga'irist the top rin'1817of theca'n 14"isshoWnin'Figs. sand 6;

V Iii-this embodiment an'annulai' member" 96 is attached to the lower end of the cover'80'bymean's of spring' clips" 7 912 The 'annularmember' 90' for'nied with'alowe'r chan nel portion 92 a and an upwardly extending conicalpo'rtion 91"having a lip'94 which is adapted to rest upon gaged by a flange 79 (Fig. 1) attached to'the bracket 15' when the bracket 15 reaches its upper position. The purpose of the valve 46 is to momentarily shut off the supply of spray material when the b'racket' 15 and the can 14are in their upper position and are in the process ofreversing their direction of movement. 7

The head'64 carries a closure member or cover 80 which is cone-shaped and of a size to engage and seal the top rim 81 of the can 14 when the can is broughtupwardly to engage therewith. In order to prevent drip of spray material from the inside of thecoven 80 onto the rim of the can the cover 89 is shown in Fig. 1 as lined with an absorbent material such as a's'trip SZof" velvet which may be attached to the inner: surface" of" the cover 80 by means of clips' 83. This strip ofmaterial 82 absorbs any drip which may flo'w'along the inner wall of the cover 80. The material 82 serves'to' imprint this material evenly around the upper surface-of the can rim 81 so as to make a smooth finish. When'th'emateri'al 82 becomes saturated it may be removed and replaced;

In the operation ofthis device an open-ended c'a'n'14 is first placed on the bracket 13' and thecontrol fluid is supplied through the pipe 27 by suitableactuation" of the control valve to cause the piston 21'to'raise'inthe'cylim der 20'. This raises the bracket 15 togetherwith the can 14 until the upper end'81 ofthe can engages the inner surface of the strip 82on the .cover XO'andthus eflfectively seals the interior of the can. .Fur'theriupward movement of the bracket 15 and can 14" pushes the cover 80 upwardly on the tube 32 and 'thereby'causes the can rod 63, the lower end of which is connected to the 81" of thefc'an'14; as shown-in Fig. 6, when the" can is'rais'ed'into contacttherewith; The member 90 is also provided with a flange 95whicl1" is adapted" toseat' against'the' lower edge96o'fth'e' cover when'themember is raised into contact therewith;

In the operation" ofthis embodiment, when the can I engages the' rim 94 and raises" the annular member 90 so'as to'bring'the flange 95'into engagement with the" rim 96 of the cover 80 the top o'fthe canis' effectively closed to prevent escape of air and spray" (as show ti in Fig. 6); However anyspray which collects on the timer surface of the cover 80 'drainsdown' onto the flan e around the outside of the can14-ahdisthereby'prevented from dripping onto the rimof the can. When the can is again lowered'tofrestore the annular member. 90 to the position showninFig. S'any spray material which is col lected on the rim 95 drains into the" channel'section'92 and is removed from the spray area; when siifli'cient material is collected in the channel 92 the member 90 may be removed from the cover 80 and'drained.

In the'embodim'ent shown in Fig. 8 the hood 80 is heldout of'c'o' ntact 'with the'toprim' 81 of the catrlit'by' means of a pin 97which is attached to the bracket'15 an'en'gagesa'fiange'98'on the cover 801 In this embodiment the cover 801s spacedfrom the upper rim'81 of the can 14 to provide clearance for the draina'ge'of sprayma terial along the inner surface of the'cover 80 to the outside of the can where it may be collected if desired; The post97 may beadju'sted so as'to conform'to' the height of the can or shell which is being sprayed. The operation" is otherwise similar to that above described.

' Although certair'i'specific' embodiments'of the invention comprising a support means for said cylindrical member, a distributor adapted to produce a spray zone around its entire periphery, means mounting said distributor above and in axial alignment with said hollow member, a closure means for the end of said hollow member disposed around said distributor and disposed normally in a lower position with respect to said distributor, said closure means being slidably mounted on said distributor mounting means for relative movement between said closure means and said distributor toward and away from said distributor, means for causing relative movement between said distributor and said hollow member to bring said closure means into closing relationship with the top of said hollow member, means for further advancing said distributor relative to said cylindrical member with said closure member disposed to close the upper end of said cylindrical member to cause'said spray zone to advance axially along said inner peripheral surface, means responsive to the relative movement of said closure means from its lower normal position with respect to said distributor to control the supply of spray material to said distributor.

2. Apparatus for spraying as set forth in claim 1, having means actuated when said distributor reaches the end of its stroke with respect to said hollow member to interrupt the supply of said sprayable material to said distributor.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 having means carried by said closure means to prevent the flow of sprayed material along the inner surface thereof onto the top of said member.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 in which said last means comprises a strip of absorbent material disposed around the lower portion of said closure means.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 in which said last means comprises an annular member having a drainage channel disposed below the lower end of said closure means, said annular member having means engaging the top rim of the member to be sprayed for shielding the same from the drippage of spray material from the inner surface of said closure means.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3, having means carried by said support to maintain said closure means in spaced relationship to the top of said hollow member for providing a drainage channel therebetween.

7. Apparatus for spraying a spray material onto the inner peripheral surface of a hollow cylindrical member comprising, a vertically reciprocal support for said cylindrical member, a distributor adapted to produce a spray zone around its entire periphery, means mounting said distributor in fixed position above and in axial alignment with said hollow member, a closure means for the upper end of said hollow cylindrical member slidably mounted on said distributor supporting means for vertically reciprocal movement thereon, said closure means being normally disposed in a lower position surrounding said distributor, means for raising said supporting means and a hollow member thereon to bring the upper end of said hollow member into engagement with said closure means and for further raising said support, said hollow member and said closure means as a unit to cause axial advancement of said spray zone relative to the inner peripheral surface of said hollow member, and means responsive to the raising of said closure means from its normal lower position with respect to said distributor to control the supply of fluid to said distributor.

8. Apparatus for spraying a spray material onto the inner peripheral surface of a hollow cylindrical member comprising, a vertically reciprocal support for said cylindrical member, a distributor adapted to produce a spray zone around its entire periphery, means mounting said distributor in fixed position above and in axial alignment with said hollow member, a closure means for the upper end of said hollow cylindrical member slidably mounted on said distributor supporting means for vertically reciprocal movement thereon, said closure means being normally disposed in a lower position surrounding said distributor, means for raising said supporting means and a hollow member thereon to bring the upper end of said hollow member into engagement with said closure means and for further raising said support said hollow member and said closure means as a unit to cause axial advancement of said spray zone relative to the inner peripheral surface of said hollow member, a conduit through which spray material is supplied to said distributor, a normally closed valve and a normally open valve interposed in said conduit, and valve control means operative in conjunction with the reciprocation of said support said cylindrical member and said closure member as a unit to maintain said normally closed valve open during the reciprocation of said unit and to maintain said normally open valve closed when said unit is at the limit of its upward movement.

9. A spraying apparatus as defined in claim 8 in which said valve control means comprises a cam member secured to and movable with said closure means and an abutment secured to and movable with said support, said cam means being operatively associated with said nor mally closed valve in position to maintain said normally closed valve open during reciprocation of said unit, and said abutment being mounted on said support in position to engage and close said normally open valve when said unit is at the limit of its upward movement,

10. Apparatus for spraying a spray material onto the inner peripheral surface of a hollow cylindrical article comprising, a frame having a base to which is secured an upwardly extending member having a bracket secured to and extending outwardly from the upper end thereof, a tubular member secured to said bracket and extending downwardly therefrom, a centrifugal spray distributor secured in fixed position to the lower end of said tubular member, article supporting means on which an article to be sprayed is adapted to be mounted in axial alignment with said tubular member and said distributor, means secured to said base on which said article support is mounted for vertical reciprocal movement, actuating means carried by said frame by which said article support is reciprocated, closure means for the upper end of said hollow article slidably mounted on said tubular member for up and down movement thereon, said closure means being normally disposed at the lower end of said tubular member surrounding said distributor, said actuating means being operative to raise said article support to bring the open upper end of an article mounted thereon into closing engagement with said closure means and upon'further movement to raise said support said article and said closure means as a unit to cause axial advancement of said distributor relative to the inner peripheral surface of said article, a conduit through which spray material is supplied to said distributor, a normally closed valve interposed in said conduit, cam means secured to said closure means for movement therewith, said cam means being operative to maintain said normally closed valve open during movement of said closure means.

11. A spraying apparatus as defined in claim 10 in which a normally open valve is interposed in said conduit and in which means are provided by which said normally open valve is maintained closed While said unit is at the upper limit of movement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,384,048 Coates July 12, 1921 2,277,092 Fink Mar. 24, 1942 2,324,455 Keim et a1. July 13, 1943 2,383,023 Sykes et al Aug. 21, 1945 2,480,663 McNab Aug. 30, 1949 2,495,328 Harrison Jan. 24, 1950 2,508,709 Goetchius May 23, 1950 2,754,227 Ransburg July 10, 1956 

